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While a cyclist is riding a bicycle, he rotates the pedal with his feet. An experienced cyclist rotates the pedal fast and then refrains from rotating it for some time, while holding the handle-bar with his hands. Even when he is not pedaling, the bicycle is moving ahead because of the momentum gained during the earlier pedaling.

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The government holds many examinations. Brahmanas generally succeed well in these examinations. When the government accepted for some time to admit some students in colleges based on merit, brahmana children generally got selected in merit list. They secure marks many times more than required for selection through merit; the number of such meritorious students is also hundreds of times more than the number of seats available through merit.

There must be a reason for this. Right now no special reason is visible. No difference is noticed between the brahmana students and others in observance of ritualistic conduct (Achara Anushthanam). In some matters, the other students can even be said to excel the brahmana students. What then is the basic reason for the brahmana students to excel in the merit list? We have to find it out.

Bhagavan is never partial. Why has Bhagavan bestowed greater medha (knowledge and retention) on brahmanas, when there is no difference between them and others in matters of ritualistic conduct and in fact they are generally inferior to others in some matters?

The pedaling of Forefathers
The great brahmanas, who lived three generations before us, “pedaled” the bicycle of sacred life more than necessary for attaining the “Brahma tejas” (Brahmic brilliance) required for a fulfilled life. Today, without performing any of the rituals, we simply hold the “handle-bar” of their name and pass the examinations.

They woke up at 4 a.m. in Brahma muhurtham; we get up generally after sunrise. In their time, one had to search for one who did not perform Sandhyavandanam in time; in our time, one has to search for one who performs in time.

In their time, the crowd used to assemble in the ghats of Sandhyavandanam in morning and evening; in our time, we crowd in a certain “club” in the morning and in a different type of “club” in the evening. At a time when Atma is to be fed, we feed Anatma. We weaken Atma and lose Atmic power.

The other religionists in our land snatched an entire kingdom from us without any mundane justification and only with the strength acquired by thinking of God in the evening time and at other particular times following some standard practice.

Swami Vidyaranya, the Guru of Bukkaraya and Swami Samartha Ramadas, the Guru of Sivaji were men of high moral conduct, devoted to observance of rituals and established in God-experience. They destroyed the demonic dance of the foreigners, who spoiled our dharma and reestablished kingdom of dharma.

Civilisation orAnimalism?
In the greats who lived three generations before us, there was none who did not wash after urination or excreting. Soil and water pot were always ready with them. We have become civilized. We have left even cleaning after urination and excreting. We have become animals; this is our civilization.

Any observance of ritual karma by one, who has left “Soucham” (purity), the first Achara (rule of conduct), is equivalent to homam performed in ashes (instead of Agni).

How long will the “pedaling” done by persons three generations earlier carry on? How long will a bicycle, not pedaled, run? It has started to lose its run even now. Even the Brahma tejas seen in brahmana children during our childhood is not seen in the children of this generation; the same with capacity to study.

Hence if generations to follow are to continue without loss of God’s blessings, Brahma tejas and superior intellect and if these aspects are not to decline in our life as we proceed, then WE MUST ROTATE THE WHEEL OF KARMAANUSHTHANA (OBSERVANCE OF RITUALS) IN THE BICYCLE OF DHARMA SASTRAM THROUGH THE PEDAL OF CONDUCT.

VEDA DHARMA SASTRA PARIPALANA SABHA

Translated by: P R Kannan, Navi Mumbai

Veda Dharma Sastra Paripalana Sabha was commenced with the Blessings of Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamiji in the year 1942 with the objective of protecting and propagating the Dharmas through various means including publications. The Sabha is continuing to perform various activities like conducting Veda Sammelans and Vidwat Sadas etc. in various towns and cities, with the Blessings of Pujyasri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamiji and Pujyasri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamiji. Tamil version of this article and other similar articles in Tamil can be accessed on this website at http://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/